Nirupam Sen, senior CPI(M) leader, passed away at a Kolkata hospital in the early hours of Monday following a cardiac arrest, the hospital said. He was 72.
The former commerce and industry minister of West Bengal (from 2001 to 2011) leaves behind wife, a son and a daughter.
The body will be kept in a mortuary during the day and the final rites will be performed on Wednesday in Bardhaman, his hometown. The body will also be taken to CPI(M) party headquarters and the CITU office on Wednesday.
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“On Wednesday, Sen’s body will be taken to the CITU office here. After that it will be taken to the party’s State head quarters where people will be allowed to pay their last respects,” sources in the party said.
Suffered from kidney ailments
Mr. Sen was impaired in 2013 after a health issue. In the past few years, he could be seen attending party events in a wheelchair.
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The former Polit Bureau member of the party had been on the life support system in the hospital after his health condition deteriorated in the early weeks of December. He had been critical since then.
“Sen was fighting kidney ailments. He was impaired by a cerebral attack in 2013,” an official at the hospital said.
Mr. Sen was the driving force behind attempts of industrialisation of the State in the last 10 years of the Left Front government led by former Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee.
Born October 8, 1946, his political career began when he became a member of the CPI(M) during his student years. He became the district secretary of the Students Federation of India, students wing of the party in 1966.
Though he started his career as a teacher, he became full-time member of the party in 1968. Mr. Sen was district secretary of Bardhaman district CPI(M) from 1989 to 1995. He became MLA from Bardhaman town in 1987, became central committee member of the party in 1998 and Polit Bureau member in 2008.
Condolences
CPI (M) West Bengal's official twitter handle said, "Red Salute Comrade Nirupam Sen. Long Live Comrade Nirupam Sen. He passed away at 5.10 am on Monday at a private hospital. The body will be kept at peace heaven in Kolkata today. Comrade Nirupam Sen's last rites will be performed on Wednesday."
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee tweeted out her condolences. “Saddened at the passing away of Nirupam Sen, former Minister of West Bengal. Condolences to his family and well wishers,” she said.
CPI (M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury termed Mr. Sen a dedicated Communist.
"Lal Salam, Comrade Nirupam Sen. We lost him this morning. A dedicated Communist, who devoted his entire life to the cause of the working class and the peasantry. He served in various capacities including as a member, Polit Bureau and a senior Minister in Left Front governments," Mr Yechury tweeted.
(With inputs from PTI )